#<o03 


DTlDMflSll. 


No.  110. 

THE  SEASON  OF  DIVINE  MERCY. 

BY    UEV.    T.    C.    TEASDALE,    D.    D. 

"Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time!  Behold,  now  is 
the  day  of  salvation." — 2  Coa.,  vi.  2. 

Sohlicr.i  of  the  Army  of  the  Confederate  States: 

Aljow  me  to  address  you  on  a  subject  of  infinite 
moment  to  you.  Compared  with  the  interests  involved 
in  this  subject,  nil'  others  nro  insignificant  and  mean. 
1  refer  to  the  salvation,  of  the  soul.  The  blessed  Jesus, 
who  made  both  the  world  and  the  sou1,  and  who  knew 
perfedy  well  the  relative,  value  of  each,  in  the  form  of 
an  interrogation,  which  is  even  more  signilicant  and 
impressive  than  a  positive  affirmation,  teaches  u-.  that  a 
man  would  be  an  almost  infinite  loser  if  he  should  gain 
the  world  and  lose  his  son!  "For  what  is  a  man  profi- 
ted," says  He,  "if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his 
own  soul?  Orwhat  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
.  soul  ?"  But  this  priceless  soul  is  in  imminent  danger  of 
being  eternally  lost.  It  is  already  condemned  and 
adjudged  to1  hell.  It  only  awaits  the  execution  of  ♦he 
penalty  which  it  has  incurred  to  consign  it  to  remediless, 
ruin  and  despair.  It  i>  consoling,  however,  to  know 
that  for  the  direst  exigencies  of  the  soul  a  complete 
remedy  has  been  provided.  "God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave,  his  only  begotten  Sou,  that  whos  ever 
believebh  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting, 
life.  For  God  sen*  riot  his  Son  into  the  world  to  con^ 
dernn  the  world,  hut  that  the  world  through  him  might 
be  saved  " 

Now,  what   I  wish  to  impress  i*pon  your  minus  in  this 
address --  is  the  solemn  fact  thai  tiikki'  aki;  seasons  and 

OlTOllTCM.lElJ  PECULIARLY    IAYOKABUJ    FOK  TILL  ilioTLC- 


TION  AND  SECURITY  OF  THE  SOUL;  AND  IF  THESE  BE  NOT 
PROPERLY  IMPROVED,  -THE  RUIN  OF  THE  SOUL  MUST  INEVI- 
TABLY ensue.     Let  us  seriously  consider  ibis  subject. 

1.  There  are  times  and  opportunities  peculiarly  favor- 
able to  Vie  protection  and  security  oj  the  soul.  This  may 
be  proved,  first  by  analogy.  "In  almost  every  pursuit 
of  life,  there  are  occasions,  and  opportunities  which 
afford  peculiar  aid  in  tbe  prosecution  of  an  enterprise. 
The  judicious  selection  of  these  as  the  crises  for  action, 
is  what  usually  gives  one  man  an  advantage  beyond 
another.  'Riches  do  not  come  to  the  man  of  under- 
standing, nor  success  to  the  man  of  might,  but  time  and 
chance  happen  to  all.'  That  is,  there  are  cef tain 'oppor- 
tunities in  the  course  of  human  affairs  which  no  wisdom. 
of  man  can  foresee,  which  no  power  of  man  can  control, 
which  being  apparently  matters  of  chance  are"  yet  under 
the  direction  of  God,  and  on  these  depends  the  success 
or  failure  of  every  enterprise.  The  iu;  n  of  business  is 
aware  of  this  and  therefore  places  himself  in  a  posture 
which  may  enable  him  to  watch  a'l  the  occasions  and 
incidents  that  may  admit  of  improvement.  As  these 
escape  him,  notwithstanding-  his  watchfulness,  he  is  of- 
ten heard^to  express  his  regrets  when  too  late,  that  he 
had*  not  taken  advantage  of  the  lost  opportunity. — 
"Now,"  says  he,  "I  perceive  the  point  from  which  I 
err§d.  Why  could  I  not  see  it  at  the  very  ti*ne  ?  Why 
was  I  so  dull  of  apprehension  as  not  to" have  seized  that 
idea  which  no'w  appears  so  obvious,  that  I  might  have 
matufed  it"  into  important  results?  Alas!  it  is  now  too 
late!  I  have  lost  the  favoring  tido  of  circumstances  and 
must  be  content  to  see  others-  shnr in g  the  advantages 
which  my  supineness  has  caused  me  to  lose.'"      .• 

The  same  may  be  said  of  almost  every  human  avoca- 
tion. The  men  of  the  world  have  no  doubt  of  the 
existence  of  such  a  disposition-  in  thfc  course  of  humeri 
events.  Th'-y  keep  it  perpetually  in  view.  Tfaey,regu« 
late  all  their  actions  by  a  regard  to  it.    They  uiako  their 


l?B/t 


calculations  with  a    special  reference  (o  the  controlling     f*°3 
influence  of  what  the  wise  roan  styles  "time and  chance.  • 

Now,  the  same  disposition  in  divine  tilings  pnsSesafea 
nn  influence  of  the  same  kind,  hut  as  much  more  impor- 
tant as  the  things  of  eternity  are  move  important  than 
those  of  time.  There  are  harvest  times  ami  summer 
seasons  1o  the  soul.  Every  sinner  has  a  time  of  *•«(&*- 
ciful  visitation."     So  analogy  teaches. 

2.  But  the  truth  of  this  important  doctrine  does  not 
rest  upon  analogy  alone.  It  is  emphatically  a  doctrine 
of  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  "We  cannot  turn  to  that  uner- 
ring page,  on  which  is  written  out  all  wisdom  and  all 
truth,  without  making  out  a  certaip<y  for  this  doctrine. 
The  Old  Testament  Prophets  inculcated  .it ;  and  the 
teachings  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  confirm  it.  * 
•  In  ■  alluding  to  this  doctrine,  Solomon  says:  "Man 
also  knoweth  not  his  tunc."  And  he  recognizes  the 
doctrine  still  "more  distinctly  when  he  says  to  the 
young,  ''Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the.  days  of  thy 
youth,  when  the  evil  duy9  com;;  not  nor  the  years  draw 
nigh  in  which  thou  shalt  say,  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
them."  Isaiah  says:  "Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may 
be  found,  call  ye  upo'n  him  while  he  is  near."  This 
language  is  obviously  intended  to  mark  the  existence  of 
intervals  and  times  in  which  effort  may  be  crowned  with 
success.  But  if  these  auspicious  seasons  bo  not  im- 
prove I  at  the  proper  time  all  subsequent  effort  will  be 
unavailing.  Jeremiah  says  :  "The  harvest  is  past,  the 
summer  is  over  and  we  are  not  saved."  The  Prophet 
here  utters  very  distinctly  an  intimation  that  the 
wretched  circumstances  of  that  unhappy  people  had 
been  cause  1  by  their  neglect  of  favorable  opportunities 
of  amendment. 

The  Saviour,  the  great  unerring  Teacher,  also  distinctly 
recognizes  this  doctrine.  The  reason  which  he  assigns 
for  the  awful  overthrow  of  Jerusalem  is,  that  "she  knew 
not  the  time  of  her  merciful  visitation."     "If  thou   hadst 


known,  even  thou,  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that  belong 
to  thy  peace,  but  now  they  are  hidden  from  thy  eyes." 
This  lamentation  of  the  Saviour  clearly  involves  the  doc- 
trine of  special  opportunity  in  religions  concernments. 
They  had  Had  a  day  of  merciful  visitation  ;  when  the 
providence  of  God  conveyed  to  them  opportunities  to  be 
saved  ;  when  the  smile  of  benignant  Heaven  seemed  to 
rest  upon  them  arid  invite  them  to  honor  and  happiness  ; 
when  numerous_  unsolicited  aids  to.  salvation  were  in 
actual  attendance  upon  them.  But  these  auspicious  sea- 
sons had  p-assed  over;  the  favoring  tide  of  ciictim'stances 
was  lost ;  and  the  things  that  belonged  to  their  peace 
were  hidden  from  their  eye\  The  opportunity  for  being 
saved  was  thus  completely  lost.  The  Apostles  also  taught 
this  doctrine.  Paul  says,  ':Behold,  now  is  the  accepted 
time!  Behold,  now  is  the  d-ay  of  salvation  1"  And  again, 
"To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 
Is  it  not  clear  then  that  the  doctrine  ot  special  opportuni- 
ty, in  relation  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul,  is  most  emphat- 
ically a  Bible  doctrine? 

3.  There  is  yet  one  other  source  of  evidence  to  which 
we  may  refer  in  support  of  this  doctrine.  It  is  that  of 
personal  consciousness.  We  know  it  is  so.  There  is 
an  innate  consciousness  of  the  truth  of  this  doctrine  in 
every  rational  mind.  We  have  an  illustration  of  the 
correctness  of  this  remark  in  the  case  of  the  thoroughly 
awakened  sinner.  Go  to  such  a  sinner  and  endeavor  to 
comfort  him,  and  how  soon  he  "betrays  his  apprehensions 
on  this  very  point.  "Oh!  1  fear  it  is  too  late.  I  fear  I 
have  sinned  away  my  day  o; -grace.  I  fear  that  all  is  now 
lost  and  lost  forever!" 

And  so  it  is  with  the  dying  sinner.  I  never  shall  forget 
the  impressions  made  on  my  mind  by  the  exclamations  of 
a  dyiug  man,  while  yet  the  dew  of  youth  was  on  my  brow. 
I  had  been  sent  for  to  converse  and  pray  with  him  in  his 
last  moments.  As  I  entered  the  chamber  of  death,  the 
poor  map  reached  out  his  cold  hand  to  me  and  exclaimed, 
"Oh  !  sir,  I  fear  it  is  now  too  late!"  Poor  fellow,  it  was-"too 
late"  in  his  case;  for  he  soon   afterwards  died  in  dreadful 


despair.  And  f  ffe  follow  the  lost  soul  down  to  perdition, 
we  shall  there  find  a  confirmation  of  this  important  doc- 
trine. In  tint  world  ol^ll  despair,  the  wretched  inhabi- 
tant-! constantly  but,  nnavailingly  (Isidore  their  negled  of 

all  opportunities  to  be  saved,  and  their  delinquency  in 
this  regard  Constitutes  a  frightful  source  of  their  inexpres- 
sible misery.  Hear  them  exclaim,  "how  have  we  hated 
instspction  and  despised  reproof.''  Now,  "the  harvest  is 
passed,  the  summer  is  ended  and  we  are  not  saYcd." 

Here,  then,  we  reach  the'-climax  of  the  argument.  Let 
us  pause  for  a  moment  and  solemnly  consider  the  conclu- 
sion to  wlych  we  are  thus  conducted.  Is  it  not  clearly 
this?— Oh!  listen  to  it — is  it  not  that  the  impenitent  sin- 
ner Is  every  moment, and  by  every  step  he  takes,  advancing 
towards  that  awtul  line  beyond  which  mercy  never  travels 
and  hope  is  never  foupd?     How  true  it  is,  that 

'Merev  knows  the  iippointed  bound 
And  turuS  to  vengeance  there." 

Dr.  Alexander  very  touchingly  inculcates  this  truth  in  a 
Dumber  of  stanzas  from  which'  we  select  the  following  : 

''There  is  a  time,  We  know  not  when,     • 
A  point,  we  know  not  where, 

That  marks  the  destiny  of  uieu 
To  glory  or  despair. 

There  is  a  line,  by  us  unseen, 

That  crosses  every  path; 
The  hidden  boundary  between 

God's  patience  and  his  wrath. 

Oh  !  where  is  that  mysterious  bourne 

IJy  which  our  path  is  crossed, 
Bevond  which  God  himseif  hath  swora 

That  he  who  goes  is  lost? 

H"W  long  may  men  go  on  in  sin?  .. 

How  long  will  (Sod  forbear? 
Where  doefl  hope  end,  and  where  begin 

The  confines  of  despair? 


An  answer  from  the  sk^ls  is  sent  ; 

Ye  that  from  God  depart, 
While  it  is  cuUed  today,  repent, 

And  harden  not  jour  heart." 

0.  reader!  art  thou  still  Tivmg  in  unrepented  sin?  Art 
•Ibou  still  re'ecting  Christ  and  dashing  down  at  thy  guilty 
feet  the  proffered  cap  of"  salvation?  Beware!  Thy  steps 
take  hold  on  hell!-  Thou  art  already  tottering  on  the 
brink  of  ruin!  To-morrow  thou  mayest  be  lost,  and  lost 
forever!  'Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time  I  Behold,  now  i3 
the  day  of  salvation."  "To-day  if  thou  wilt  hear  his  voiee^ 
harden  not  thy  heart." 

If.  But  I  shall  leave- my  task  incomplete  if  I  do  not  en- 
detwor  .0  point  out  to  you,  ray  dear^ soldier  friends,  some 
of  those  times  and  occasions  which  are  most  favorable 
for  the  protection  and  security  of  the  soud.  Hence  I  re- 
mark, 

1.  That  of  all  the  stasons  for  securing  the  salvation  of 
the  soul,  the  youth-time  of  our  existence  is  the  most  im- 
portant. This  might  be  proved  by  mental  philosophy,  by 
Bible  encouragements,  and  by  indisputable  facts.  The 
iimul  at  that  season  is  less  cumbered  with  worldly  cares  j 
the  heart  is  less  -indurated  by  sin  ;  and  the  soul  is  more 
susceptible  to.  divine  impressions.  The  Scriptures,  too, 
afford  peculiar  encouragement  to  the  young.  Mercy  per- 
sonified says,  i'J  love  them  that  love  me,  and  tbe-y  that 
seek  me  early  shall  find  me.;'  Numerous  facts  also  uUeet 
the  truth  of  this  proposition.  The  great  majority  of  shose 
who  are  ever  converted  to  God,  are  converted  in  the  mor- 
ning of  their  days.  The  period  of  youth,  then,  is  air 
important  "harvest-time  and  summer  season"  to  the,  soul. 
O,  youn^  man,  lay  this  truth  to  heart.  Thou  art.  now 
enjoying  the  mast  precious  opportunity  to  b*e  saved.  "Re- 
member now  tby  Cre  itor  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  whew 
the  evil  dc;ys  came  not  nor  the  years  draw  nigh  in  which 
thou  shalt  say,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  them." 

2.  Another  01  those  occasions  most  favorable  for- the, 
protection  and  security  of  tbe  soul  is  a  season  of  religious 


revival.  At  such  times  ministers  usually  preach  more 
plainly  and  more  earnestly  ;  Christians  pray  more  fervently 
and  with  greater  faith  ;  sinners  fed  more  deeply  ;  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  operates  more  miphtily.  0,  soldier  friends, 
heed  the  divine  admonition,  and  "Repent  and  be  converted 
when  the  times  of  refreshing  come  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord." 

•  3.  Another  of  these  auspicious  occasions  occurs  when  a 
special  interest  is  evinced  by  God's  people  in  tbe  spiritual 
Welfare  of  particular  individuals.  01  of  particular  classes  of 
unconverted  persons.  Tbe  doting  parent  is  anxious  now 
abouthis  dear  son.  The  pious  wife  breathes  outlier  impor- 
tunate prayers  for  tbe  salvation  of  her  beloved  husband. 
And  the  affectionate'  sister  is  found  in  wrapt  communion 
with  her  God  in  behalf  of  her  impenitent  brothers.  Is  not 
this  a  ^'harvest-time  and  summer  season"  to  the  soul? 
And  when,  too,  the  whole  christian  community  is  deeply  con- 
cerned for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  s<  ldier§  in  mir  various 
armies,  is  it  not  "an  accepted  time"  und  a  "day  of  salvation"  to 
them?  How  much  interest  is' felt;  how  much  emotion  has  been 
excited  in  pious  hearts,  and  how  many  fervent  players  have 
been  offered  for  absent  loved  ones  in  the  army  by  thtir  frieuds 
at  home,  the  developments  of  J  he  jndgment  will'alohe  disclose. 
O,  my  soldier  friends,  disregard  not  this  interest  in  your  be- 
half, and  tread  not  the  tears  and  prayers  of  tbe  friends  that  love 
you  under  your  heedless  feet  1  Think!  Perhaps  at  this  ve*y 
moment  your  honored  lather  of  loving  mother  or  youthful  wife 
may  be  praying  for  your  salvation  !  shall  they  pray  in  vain  ? 
4.  I  have  space  to  mention  but  one  other  auspicious  season  to 
the  soul ;  and  that  is,  token  G<>d  speaks  in  tlie  thundertone  of 
his  judgment*  to  the  people.  When  his  judgments  are  abroad  in 
the  land,  surely  the  people  should  learn  righteousness.  And  is 
not  this  a  time  ?  Was  there  ever  a  people  moie  severely  chas- 
tised than  ours?  And  though  our  sufferings  may  be  inflicted 
by  the  hand  of  an  implacable  foe,  yet  God  is  none  the  less  con- 
cerned in  our  afflictions.  He  often  use-*'  the  wicked  as  the 
instruments  of  chastisement  to  bjs  peop'e.  Talk  not  of  our 
calamities  as  the-product  of  accidtafcor  of  any  fortuitous  con- 
currence of  secondary  causes.  They  all  proceed  from  the  ben- 
evolent Sovereign,  of  the  universe,  and  are.  designed  expressly 
for  "ur  spiritual  good.  Happv  for  ns  if  we  herd  his*voice  in 
hia  dc-bwlaliug  judgments  !     liuppy  for  in*  W  this  last  agency  t|| 


8 

"winch  lie  resorts,  when  all  the  resources  nf goodness  and  fbr- 
bearauce  have  been  expended  in  vain,  shall  produce  in  our 
bosoms  a  salutary,  compunction  !  But  if  this  solemn  rebuke  of 
Jehovah  shall  not  lead  us  to  repentance  and  salvation,  then 
what  hope  is  there  that  anything;  in  the  whole  circle  of  moral 
influences  will  ever  bring- us  into  cordial  obedience  to  the  Cross 
of  Christ  ?  What  reason  have  we  to  condude  that  we  are  not 
of  that  unhappy  number  "who  have  trodden  under  foot  the  Son 
of  God  ;  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant  \  herewith  he  was 
sanctified  an  unholy  thing  ;  and  done,  despite  to  the  spirit  of 
bis  iirace  ?"  May  we  not  justly  fear  that  we  are  "past  feeling;" 
and  that  the  season  of  divine  mercy,  is  to  us  clean  gone  forever?' 
Soldier  friends,  I  am  now  done  What  will  you  do  with  thia 
important  subject?  Will  y<fU  still  neglect,  the  "great  salva- 
tion?" Will  you  still  postpone  attention  to  this'chief interest? 
.Remember,  God  has  said,  "My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive 
wiih  man."  Will  you  delay  another  day  ?  To-mffrrcm  it  may 
be  too  late  !  O,  then,  hasten  to  the  cross  of  Christ !  "Remem* 
ber  Lot's  wife!"  Embrace  profit  red  mercy  today!  To-day 
make  your  peace  with  God  !  .AW,  this  noun,  this  very  MO- 
MENT, give  your  heart,  in  confiding  trust,  to  the  blessed 
Jesus!  Let  nothing,  deter  yon  !  Your  all  for  eternity  is  at 
stake!  YourMesiiny  will  snnn  be  fixed!  Your  day  of  grace 
will  soon  close  !  What  you  do  must,  bw  done  quickly  !  O,  do 
it  TO  DAY  !   do  it  NOW  ! 


Hollinger  Corp. 
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